


Wizarding World Newspaper Archives

by politicalmedievalistnerd



Series: Harry Potter Expanded Universe [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: 2000s, Cho Chang (mentioned) - Freeform, Epistolary, F/F, F/M, Gen, Ginny Weasley (mentioned) - Freeform, Gossip, Harry Potter (mentioned) - Freeform, Hermione Granger (Mentioned) - Freeform, Interviews, M/M, Multi, Newspapers, Other, Parvati Patil (mentioned) - Freeform, Romilda Vane (mentioned), Rumours, Untrue Rumours
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2019-09-16
Packaged: 2020-09-01 02:14:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20250493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/politicalmedievalistnerd/pseuds/politicalmedievalistnerd
Summary: Feel free to peruse through the archives of the Wizarding World's many newspapers and magazines, including (but not limited to): The Daily Prophet, Witch Weekly, and the Quibbler. // Chapter Two: Witch Weekly, 28 July 2000 - Potter Friend Tells All. // Characters & Ships reflect those in most recent chapter!!





	1. WITCH WEEKLY, 16 April 2004 - The Future Mrs. Malfoy

16th April 2004

**THE FUTURE MRS. MALFOY**

_ By Louise Ridgeback _

I meet ASTORIA GREENGRASS in one of the entertaining rooms in Greengrass House, her childhood home. She wears a silky purple number and amethyst earrings, but what really catches my eye is the giant diamond ring - which I can confirm is 24 carats, and was purchased new by Mr. Draco Malfoy from Davies’ Jewels, one of the most exquisite (and expensive!) jewellers in Great Britain, located in the Cotswolds in the small all-wizarding community. This is where Astoria was born and raised.

“I think it’s lovely that it was made locally,” Astoria tells me, on the topic of her ring. “Draco knows how much I loved growing up here.” And how could she not? It’s picturesque, with rolling hills and quaint homes. Saladen consists of only a few streets, hardly enough to be properly called a village. The entirety of the place is hidden from the muggle world. “The Davies have made jewellery for hundreds of years, and are, of course, one of our closest neighbours.” Davies’ Jewels is currently run by Mr. Matthur Davies, a gentleman aged fifty-four, and his younger son Roger.

A house-elf fetches us each a cup of tea, and Astoria seems to relax. The room we are in is well-decorated and regal. A family tapestry hangs behind her, dating the Greengrass family back centuries, noting Astoria and her two elder siblings. William, the heir, was married just last November as you may recall, though middle child Daphne remains unwed. When asked about her sister’s maid status, Astoria’s smile does not falter. “We are so proud of Daphne’s work at the Ministry,” she says. “Believe that what my sister wants, she will get.”

When Mr. Draco Malfoy, her husband-to-be, is mentioned, Astoria’s eyes light up. Their marriage has been many years coming, of course - Witch Weekly first reported that the two appeared to be ‘more than friends’ in September 2000, when Astoria was a recent graduate of just eighteen. I, of course, broke the official story that they were courting in November of the same year. In spite of Draco’s murky past, Astoria does not seem at all wary of her fiance’s supposed ties to the Death Eaters, or the fact that her future father-in-law was indeed imprisoned in Azkaban in the mid-90s. 

“I’m very excited for our wedding,” Astoria says. “To become Mrs. Malfoy is a dream. I love Draco with all my heart, and I can’t wait to be his wife.” She’s certainly smitten, isn’t she? I ask next how he proposed.

“He asked my father’s permission, of course - two weeks before, apparently!” she laughs. “But no, it was beautiful. He took me to one of our favourite places, and we ate, chatted - and I was thinking, all that time, ‘wow, wouldn’t it be amazing to marry him some day?’ And now I’m sure he’s a legilimens, for no sooner did I think that than he was down on one knee!” She nods at my question. “I cried. I was so happy. You dream about something like that from when you’re a little girl. And then it happens.”

We move on to the topic of her charity,  _ Sickles for Sally.  _ Founded when she was in her sixth year in 1999,  _ Sickles for Sally  _ aims to raise money for cursed children. “Sally Peterson was a half-blooded witch who started her first year when I was in my sixth, in September 1998. She was also in Slytherin, and as a prefect, I took her under my wing,” Astoria explains, her gentle features turning concerned. “She was always in the hospital wing, and so I made a habit of stopping in to see her - of course, it was so hard for her to be in her first year and miss out on so much class, so many activities. It was heartbreaking. We became quite close. She had been orphaned during the war, with her muggle-born father and pure-blood mother both being killed tragically. However, she had also been cursed by someone who considered her mother a blood-traitor. This was the cause of Sally’s frequent illness.”

Sally’s story is well-known now due to Astoria’s activism, but it is still so tragic to hear. Both her and I tear up. “She lost her battle with her curse at the beginning of her second year. She was only twelve. Sally was like my little sister.” I summon tissues for us both, and Astoria delicately dabs at her eyes, the very image of manners even when so distressed. “Curses are so hard for children to bear, and in my opinion, there isn’t nearly enough being done for them. That’s why I created  _ Sickles for Sally.  _ It funds research, and centres for both children and parents of cursed children to get some rest and some help.” She advises me that two  _ Sally Centres  _ are in operation; one in Godric’s Hollow and one in Coventry. 

“Draco and I are so pleased to announce that, in place of wedding gifts, we will be taking donations for  _ Sickles for Sally, _ ” Astoria says. “We hope to use this money to open a  _ Sally Centre  _ in Middlesborough to cater to those further north, and to open a specialty research centre at the University of Magical London.”

Unfortunately, that was all we had time to chat about - Astoria is in the throes of wedding planning, naturally. The date is set for the 19th of August, and is expected to have an invitee list of five hundred. However, to raise money, tickets will be on sale to the public, for those who wish to witness the wedding of the century, with the wealthiest bachelor in wizarding Britain marrying at last. If that doesn’t pique your interest enough, there’s set to be a five-course-meal provided to every guest, real dragons, a Mermish choir, and two Quidditch games at the reception. 

_ Please address owls with donations to Greengrass House, Saladen, England.  _

_ Ticket sales for the Malfoy-Greengrass wedding will open in July; Witch Weekly will be hosting a raffle to win two tickets to this amazing event! _


	2. WITCH WEEKLY, 28 July 2000 - Potter Friend Dishes All

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A classmate of hero Harry Potter gives us some insight into his real character in the lead-up to his twentieth birthday!

28th July 2000

**POTTER FRIEND DISHES ALL**

_ By Louise Ridgeback _

In the lead-up to the-Boy-who-Lived’s twentieth birthday on Monday, we are all very keen to learn more about celebrated war hero Harry James Potter. He currently works as an Auror in the Ministry of Magic, in spite of neither completing an Auror training course nor even graduating from Hogwarts! Many friends of Potter will wax lyrical about him, especially during his days in school, but this source says she will tell the truth about the young hero.

Enter ALICE TOLIPAN, at first reluctant to be named. A pretty half-blood working in Stowe and Packers Magical Bags on Carkitt Market. One of Harry’s fellow Gryffindors, in the same year as he. When asked about this, she pulls a face. “I wasn’t in the same dormitory as Hermione Granger,” she explains. “I think that made him overlook us. Harry was nice, generally, but he could be really ignorant too.” She goes on to explain. “He thought he was something special.”

How interconnected were she and Harry at school? “I joined this club,” she says. “It was a defence club. I went a couple of times, but really, it was just him talking about himself.” Is this the same club that reportedly assisted in getting Harry into Hogwarts during the Battle of Hogwarts? Supposedly called the ‘D.A’, according to Eliza Goodbury’s book ‘Secrets of the Final Battle’, published just last month, the club existed to fight the Ministry of Magic during Potter’s time at Hogwarts, and was in fact lead by himself as a resistance movement. 

We settle into an easy rapport. “Harry was an okay student, I guess,” reveals Tolipan. “He was really good at Defence Against the Dark Arts most of the time.” That comes as no surprise, given his career and, of course, his actions in the war. Potter’s flying skills are also confirmed. “We hardly lost with him playing,” she tells me. “He was great. Best in flying class.” She recalls a story in which Harry’s friend was being bullied in first year, and his remembrall was stolen. Going directly against the teacher’s instructions, Harry hopped on his broom and chased the other student, catching and returning the remembrall eventually. It’s enchanting, and certainly portrays Harry as a dashing hero, even from a young age. 

But Tolipan has more to tell us than what meets the eye. “He argued with teachers a lot, especially Professor Snape [the Potions Master]. He also played with girls’ hearts,” she confirms. When asked for names, she lists them easily. “He and Hermione Granger were together in fourth year, and then when she moved on to Krum, he and Parvati were dating. And then in sixth year, he started messing around with Ginny Weasley.” These are the three she lists that have been somewhat confirmed - Rita Skeeter wrote many reports on his involvement with Hermione Granger, one of the muggle-born war heroes and a staunch activist for muggle-born and house-elf rights, the latter of which former flame Harry stays somewhat quiet on. Granger is now being linked to Harry’s best friend Ron Weasley, who is Harry’s current girlfriend’s elder brother. Ginny Weasley and he confirmed their relationship shortly after she was signed to the Harpies last year at just seventeen. Parvati Patil has been more elusive, but definitely partnered Harry to the Yule Ball held during the tragic Triwizard Tournament of ‘94. 

However, Tolipan also names names that we have not yet heard. “He and Cho Chang, who played seeker for Ravenclaw, they dated after her ex-boyfriend, Cedric Diggory, was killed.” Harry and Cedric were both Hogwarts champions in the Triwizard Tournament, and based on other accounts, we can conclude that they had a fearsome rivalry, despite Harry himself protesting this, and seeming quite upset by his death, which he witnessed. Of course, Harry Potter has worked the PR machine since he was eleven, including being mentored by Gilderoy Lockhart. Cho Chang is the reserve keeper for the Tutshill Tornadoes, and is completing a Law degree at the University of Magical London. “Emma Vane from our year had a little sister, Romilda, and I think they had a thing.” When pressed, Tolipan recalls Romilda hanging out around Harry until the beginning of his relationship with Ginny. She was also friends with Cho Chang prior to her graduation. Tolipan explains that there was a two-year age gap between Harry and Romilda, which is questionable as she was just fourteen at the time of their purported relationship. 

What does all this tell us about Harry? He clearly has had a much more checkered past than he lets on. From starting secret clubs at school, fighting with teachers and toying with girls, perhaps the young hero wasn’t squeaky clean. I conclude by asking Tolipan if she plans on writing a tell-all book - while there have been many penned just in the last two years, none have come from someone in the same year as Harry. “I don’t know,” she admits, suddenly shy. “I’ve never been a good writer.” 

This weeks poll is: 

_ Harry Potter; hero or heartbreaker? _

Let us know your thoughts! 

_ Please send in your owl to the Witch Weekly Offices, Hogsmeade, Scotland. _


End file.
